In this bulletin;
- Cyclone Alfred expected to make landfall within hours and New Zealand now providing support
- Teen allegedly storms plane with shotgun, claims to have bombs at Avalon Airport
- Hawthorn stuns Sydney with dominant win in season opener
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The Prime Minister says New Zealand will be sending more than 60 people to help with disaster response as Tropical Cyclone Alfred is expected to make landfall this morning.
Cyclone Alfred is hours away from landfall in Southeast Queensland as the state braces for destructive winds and heavy rainfall.
The effects have already been felt in the region and down into New South Wales with rising flood waters and rough seas.
As the anxious wait continues, Gold Coast Locals have spoken to SBS before the cyclone.
"I'm just so-so at the moment, I wish the rotten thing would just come over and go. Quite honestly, we've done everything we can to protect the house."
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The Prime Minister has scrapped plans for a 12th of April election amid Tropical Cyclone Alfred’s threat.
Speculation was mounting that Anthony Albanese would visit the governor-general on Sunday or Monday to call the poll, but he has ruled it out as the cyclone approaches southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales.
Mr Albanese spoke to ABC's 7:30 on Friday.
"I've no intention of doing anything that distracts from what we need to do, and what we need to do is look after each other at this difficult time. This is not a time for politics.".
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Airport security is under scrutiny after a 17-year-old allegedly forced his way onto a Jetstar flight at Avalon Airport with a shotgun, claiming to have bombs in his bag.
Police say the teen climbed through a hole in the airport fence before boarding the Sydney-bound plane, which had 160 passengers on board.
He has been charged with multiple offences, including unlawfully seizing an aircraft, making a bomb hoax, and possessing a firearm.
The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in a children's court on Friday and will remain in custody until his next hearing on the 21st of March.
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US President Donald Trump has sent a letter to Iran's leadership saying he wants to negotiate a nuclear deal.
Confirmed by the White House, the US President made the comments in an interview with Fox Business News.
Iran is yet to confirm it has received the letter, which Mr Trump says is addressed to Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Speaking to Fox News, Mr Trump says Iran must be dealt with either militarily or through a deal.
" I'm not sure that everybody agrees with me, but we can make a deal that would be just as good as if you won militarily. But the time is happening now. The time is coming up. Something is going to happen one way or the other. Something is going to happen one way or the other. I hope that Iran and I've written them a letter saying, I hope you're going to negotiate, because if we have to go in militarily, it's going to be a terrible thing for them."
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South Koreans have staged a demonstration and demanded a halt to military drills a day after fighter jets accidentally dropped bombs on a civilian area.
The country's defence ministry say the incident injured 15 civilians and 14 soldiers.
Dozens of activists and residents from a civilian town in Pocheon, a city near the border with North Korea, say the drills threatened the lives and peace of people living there.
One of the residents include 50-year-old Lee Myoung-Won.
“It is like arguing that the lives and safety of the citizens of Pocheon can be infringed at any time under the excuse of security. We, Pocheon citizens, are fundamentally questioning these ongoing military exercises: who is this security for, and who are these military trainings really for?”
Authorities have suspended live-fire exercises until it is clearly established what went wrong.
The military says the incident won't affect major South Korean and United States joint military exercises starting on Monday.
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Hawthorn has made an early statement in 2025, defeating last year’s runners-up Sydney by 20 points in a gripping season opener at the SCG last night.
The Hawks controlled most of the match after weathering a fast Swans start, holding firm in tough final-quarter conditions to seal a 14.12 (96) to 11.10 (76) victory.
Sydney mounted a second-half fightback after Hawthorn midfielder James Worpel was subbed out at half-time with an ankle injury—the first time in his 183-game career.
But Sam Mitchell’s side proved too sharp, edging out the Swans in the final term to claim the first win of the season.
Hawthorn finished with 18 more inside-50s and dominated clearances 47-33, a strong early sign for its midfield.
